Influences of calcination temperature on structural properties of MnFe2O4 nanopowders synthesized by co-precipitation method for reusable absorbent materials

Abstract

Manganese Ferrite (MnFe2O4) nanopowders have been synthesized via chemical co-precipitation method using metallic chlorides of manganese and iron as starting materials and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) was used as a precipitating agent. The obtained products were calcined at various temperatures of 400, 600, 800 and 1000°C. The structural properties and average crystallite size of after-calcined powders were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) while morphologies of nanopowders were monitored by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The comparative study on chemical bonding of before-calcined and after-calcined powders have been carried out by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The co-precipitated MnFe2O4 powders show good absorption of Methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solution and could be separated under a magnetic field. These results suggest that the co-precipitated MnFe2O4 could be proposed as a reusable absorbent for removing MB with several cycles.